Gary - The funeral service for Mr. Edward J. Wickre, 71, of Gary will be at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 28, 2004, in the United Methodist Church in Gary. Rev. Samuel Sunandkumar will officiate. Edward passed away Thursday, Dec. 23, 2004, in Sioux Valley Hospital, Canby Campus, Canby, Minn. Burial will be in the Grandview Cemetery in Gary. Visitation will be in the United Methodist Church in Gary on Monday, Dec. 27, 2004, from 5-8 p.m. and will resume Tuesday one hour prior to the service at the church. The family is requested to meet at the church on Tuesday at 10:30 a.m. to attend a prayer service. Edward was born May 7, 1933, to Palmer and Leona (Osborne) Wickre in Huron. As a child the family moved to Wessington Springs, where he received his education, graduating from the Wessington Springs High School in 1951. He continued his education at Northern State College in Aberdeen. On March 29, 1953, he was united in marriage to Dorothy Mohling in Wessington Springs. Following their marriage they moved to Indianapolis, Ind. On April 7, 1953, he entered the U.S. Army, where he was stationed in Japan for 14 months. Ed was honorably discharged on March 19, 1955, and returned to Madison. He continued his education at the General Beadle College, receiving his teaching degree in 1958. They then moved throughout the state of South Dakota, where he taught general science courses and coached many sports. After 15 years of coaching, he moved into administration until his retirement in 1995. In June 2000, they moved to Gary, where he was currently serving as mayor. On Dec. 23, 2004, he passed away suddenly at Sioux Valley Hospital, Canby Campus, at the age of 71 years, 7 months and 16 days. Ed was a member of the United Methodist Church in Gary, where he was currently serving as church president. He was also a member of the Peden-Cole American Legion Post 109 in Gary, where he served as finance officer. He enjoyed the outdoors, spending time at his barn with his horse, visiting with his friends and hunting. Ed also was a professional dog trainer and he was a loving husband, father and grandpa. Survivors include his wife Dorothy Wickre of Gary; three children, Mark Wickre of Appleton, Wis., Janice (Larry) Wenaas of Montevideo, Minn., and Jim (Stacy) Wickre of Gary; five grandchildren; three brothers, Herbert (Dixie) Wickre of Williamsburg, Va., Paul (Dorothy) Wickre of Fargo, N.D., and Gary (Roxanne) Wickre of Osage, Minn.; three sisters, Betty (Alan) Sheppard of Englewood, Colo., Karen Christensen of Omaha, Neb., and Pam (Roger) Hainy of Wessington Springs; and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents.
Published in the Aberdeen News on 12/26/2004.